Styles saved in a .dot file not retaining their characteristics

[patrick j]

Hi

I've been using Office 2004 for a couple of months now and I'm enjoying
using it. I actually get it for free as I have started working at a
university.

I did use Word 5.1a many years ago, then using Nisus Writer classic in the
interim. However I have returned now to office.

I have it on my Intel iMac and it is running fine except that it seems that
if I save a template file then the styles I've defined in it do not seem to
retain all the characteristics I've defined for them.

To give an example. I have a template file which I've called "Basic
Notes.dot". I have dozens of files on my computer which are notes and
records of various sorts. These are all saved as .rtf and I'm now
converting them to .doc, the using the Style Gallery button in the Theme
dialogue so that I can apply the same consistent set of styles to each of
these files.

The problem is that two things about the styles in this "Basic Notes.dot"
file won't remain as I want them. I set the Heading 1 style so that the
next paragraph is "Normal" but it forgets that and reverts always to having
the next paragraph as "Heading 1".

The other thing that doesn't stick is that I have a table style in this
..dot file. The produces a very simple table with light grey borders, except
that the horizontal borders between each row disappear. I put them back in,
but this won't stick. In addition I set this table style so it is based on
"Table Grid" but that won't stick and it always changes to "Table 3D
Effects 1".

I'd be grateful if someone could shed light on these issues.

 

[Clive Huggan]

Hello Patrick,

If you open the template from the Finder (probably in "My templates" folder)
and make the changes then save the template and close it, are the changes
lost?

If you still have Word 5.1a features whirring around in your head, you might
like to download some notes on the way I use Word for the Mac, titled "Bend
Word to Your Will", which are available as a free download from the Word
MVPs' website (http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Bend/BendWordToYourWill.html). They
were originally written when I moved from Word 5.1a to Word 2001, and
although much larger now and encompassing Word 2004, there are still many
references to 5.1a.

[Note: "Bend Word to your will" is designed to be used electronically and
most subjects are self-contained dictionary-style entries. It's important
to read the front end of the document -- especially pages 3 and 5 -- so you
can select some Word settings that will allow you to use the document
effectively.]

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from North America and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
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[patrick j]

Hello Patrick,

If you open the template from the Finder (probably in "My templates" folder)
and make the changes then save the template and close it, are the changes
lost?

Hi Clive

Yes the changes are lost if I do this

If you still have Word 5.1a features whirring around in your head, you might
like to download some notes on the way I use Word for the Mac, titled "Bend
Word to Your Will", which are available as a free download from the Word
MVPs' website (http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Bend/BendWordToYourWill.html). They
were originally written when I moved from Word 5.1a to Word 2001, and
although much larger now and encompassing Word 2004, there are still many
references to 5.1a.

I will have a look at this. In fact I tend to have the Nisus Writer way of
doing things whizzing around in my head and that is a very different type
of word processor from Word. However I think your notes will be very
interesting.